The Best of Our Knowledge # 1012

Albany, NY – ASSESSING THE VALUE OF HIGHER EDUCATION: GOALS FOR STUDENT LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT

As the economic squeeze continues to impact all aspects of family life, higher education is not immune to being held accountable as well. Are students and families getting good value for their investment? With tuition rising, it's important for colleges to research and disclose their students' learning outcomes. Parents want evidence their hard-earned money is being well spent on their child's education.

Colleges and universities all across the country are facing this issue of self-evaluation and accountability. We recently found out that it's been a major goal and undertaking at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York. And after several months, Skidmore has just released what it calls Goals for Student Learning and Development.

**(Attention listeners and program directors. The website mentioned at theconclusion of the above story is: www.skidmore.edu .)**

PUT TO THE TEST: HOW STANDARDIZED TESTING IS CHANGING EDUCATIONDocumentary Series: Part Four

Our first story in this show focused on assessing the value of higher education. Our next story brings that theme down to the high school level.

Lost amidst all the attention given to the economy, national security, and health care No Child Left Behind's eighth anniversary slipped by unnoticed. After all, renewal of NCLB is already two years overdue. And not many on capitol hill indicate they're in any hurry to reauthorize it this year.

But some educators believe they may be getting a glimpse of the Obama administration's plans for the new ESEA, or Elementary and Secondary Education Act, by looking at what's emphasized in the Race to the Top competition. Common themes include: strengthening standards and assessment, bolstering state data systems, turning around low-performing schools, and improving teacher quality and the distribution of effective teachers.

We continue exploring the impact of the No Child Left Behind law. This documentary series, Put to the Test: How Standardized Testing Is Changing Education, comes to us from Western Guilford High School in Greensboro, North Carolina, and North Carolina Public Radio.